THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


PRESENTED  BY 

PROF. CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


THE  WASHINGTON  CENTENNIAL. 


GEORGE  WASHINGTON,  1775- 


THE 


O 


,fON 


"  Washington's  a  watchword,  such  as  ne'er 
Shall  sink,  while  there's  an  echo  left  in  air.3 


—Byron. 


BY 


FREDERICK    SAUNDERS, 

Librarian  of  the  Astor  Library. 
Author  of  "Sa Lid  for  the  Solitary  and  the  Social,"  etc. 


NEW  YORK: 
THOMAS  WHITTAKER,  4TH  AVENUE  &  9TH  STREET. 


COPYRIGHT  1889 
BY  THOMAS  WHITTAKER 


PRE68  OF 

A.  G.  SHERWOOD  &  CO., 
47  LAFAYETTE  PLACE. 


TO    THE    AMERICAN    PEOPLE 

IS   RESPECTFULLY   INSCRIBED 

This  little  garland  of  graceful  and  enthusiastic  utterances 
of  eminent  personages  from  all  nationalities,  in  honor  of  the 
Founder  of  the  Republic.  The  impulse  that  prompted  the 
garnering  into  a  votive  wreath,  these  beautiful  tributes,  it  is 
believed,  must  be  in  unison  with  the  universal  sentiment  of 
the  time,  and  therefore,  will  scarcely  fail  to  be  greeted  with 
general  acceptation.  While  the  history  of  our  nation  may 
justly  be  said  to  be  without  a  parallel, — alike  as  to  the  won 
derful  development  of  its  numbers,  and  its  wide-spread 
domain, — so  the  lustre  of  the  name  of.  Washington,  as  a 
central  sun  amid  the  constellations  of  the  world's  great 
heroes,  shines  with  superior  and  increasing  splendor. 


M31383O 


SKETCH  OF  THE  INAUGURATION  OF  ' 
WASHINGTON. 

TO  sketch  accurately  and  in  detail  the  scene  of  the  in 
auguration  as  it  presented  itself  to  the  eye  of  the  ob 
server,  a  century  ago,  would  require  no  ordinary  amount  of 
artistic  skill;  all  that  will  be  demanded  is  to  attempt  a  brief 
sketch  of  New  York  at  that  early  day,  when  it  was  little 
more  than  a  village.  In  order  to  gain,  even  an  approxi 
mate  idea  of  those  Colonial  days,  we  must  divest  the  city  of 
its  many  modern  improvements,  its  stately  buildings,  its 
crowded  thoroughfares  and  its  miles  of  streets.  Wall  Street 
was  then  central,  and  indeed,  much  north  of  it  was  rural 
district,  as  the  name  of  one  of  its  streets  implies, — the 
Bowery.  Greenwich  Street,  the  Battery  and  Pearl  Street 
were  then  the  fashionable  parts  of  the  city. 

On  the  site  of  the  present  Sub-Treasury  was  erected 
a  building  first  called  the  City  Hall,  afterwards  Congress 
Hall,  which,  besides  comprehending  the  Law  Courts,  also 
included  a  Prison.  In  front  of  the  building  stood  the 
"  stocks,  a  pillory,  and  a  whipping-post."  At  this  place 
of  public  chastisement,  culprits  were  subjected  to  one  or 
other  of  these  ordeals.  Here  were  also  held  the  sessions 
of  the  Provincial  Assembly,  the  Supreme  Court  and  the 
Mayor  and  Admiralty  Courts  ;  it  was  also  the  place  of  elec 
tion.  It  was  afterward  altered  to  suit  the  Congress ;  the 


THE  IN  A  UGURA  TION. 


jail  prisoners  were  at  that  time  removed  to  the  then  "new 
jail  in  the  Park."  But  the  Congress  removing  to  Philadelphia, 
through  the  influence  of  Robert  Morris,  as  the  New  Yorkers 
set  forth  in  a  caricature,  it  was  again  altered  to  receive  the 
Courts  and  the  State  Assembly. 

It  is  curious  to  note  respecting  the  City  Hall,  that 
it  was  originally  constructed  on  the  site  and  out  of  the 
materials  of  a  stone  bastion,  in  the  line  of  the  wall  of  defence 
along  Wall  street ;  and  after  it  was  built,  it  is  on  record,  that 
it  was  ordered  "that  it  be  embellished  with  the  arms  of  the 
King  and  the  Earl  of  Bellomont."  The  corporation  subse 
quently  ordered  that  the  latter  should  be  taken  down  and 
broken.  The  British,  while  in  New  York,  used  the  City 
Hall  as  the  place  of  the  main  guard  ;  "at  the  same  time  they 
much  plundered  and  broke  up  the  only  public  library,  then 
contained  in  one  of  its  chambers." 

It  was  in  its  gallery  on  Wall  street,  on  the  3Oth  of  April, 
1789,  that  Gen.  Washington  was  inaugurated  the  first  Presi 
dent  of  the  United  States.  On  this  important  public  ceremo 
ny,  the  oath  of  office  was  administered  in  the  open  gallery  in 
front  of  the  Senate  chamber,  and  in  the  view  of  an  immense 
concourse  of  citizens.  "  There  stood  Washington,  invested 
with  a  suit  of  dark  silk  velvet  of  the  old  cut,  steel  hilted 
small  sword  by  his  side,  hair  in  bag,  and  full  powdered,  in 
black  silk  hose  and  shoes  with  silver  buckles,  as  he  took  the 
oath  of  office,  to  Chancellor  Livingston."*  Dr.  Duer  thus 
describes  the  scene  of  the  inauguration  :— 

*  Watson. 


io  CENTENNIAL  SOUVENIR. 


"  This  auspicious  ceremony  took  place  under  the  portico 
of  Federal  Hall,  upon  the  balcony  in  front  of  the  Senate 
Chamber,  in  the  immediate  presence  of  both  Houses  of  Con 
gress,  and  in  full  view  of  the  crowds  that  thronged  the  adja 
cent  streets.  The  oath  was  administered  by  Chancellor 
Livingston,  and  when  the  illustrious  Chief  had  kissed  the 
Book,  the  Chancellor,  with  a  loud  voice,  proclaimed,  '  Long 
live  George  Washington,  President  of  the  United  States.' 
Never  shall  I  forget  the  thrilling  effect  of  the  thundering 
cheers  which  burst  forth,  as  from  one  voice,  peal  after  peal 
from  the  assembled  multitude.  Nor  was  it  the  voices  alone 
of  the  people  that  responded  to  the  announcement,  their 
hearts  beat  in  unison  with  the  echoes  resounding  through 
the  distant  streets  ;  and  many  a  tear  stole  down  the  rugged 
cheeks  of  the  hardiest  of  the  spectators,  as  well  I  noted  from 
my  station  in  an  upper  window  of  the  neighboring  house  of 
Colonel  Hamilton." 

"When  the  Federal  Constitution  had  received  the  ap 
proval  of  the  people,  and  was  made  the  supreme  law  of  the 
Republic,  all  minds  and  hearts  seemed  spontaneously  turned 
towards  Washington  as  the  best  man  to  perform  the  respon 
sible  duties  of  Chief  Magistrate  of  the  nation.  On  the  6th 
of  April,  1789,  he  was  chosen  President  of  the  United  States, 
by  the  unanimous  votes  of  the  electors,  and  John  Adams 
was  made  Vice-President.  The  journey  of  Washington  from 
Mount  Vernon  to  New  York,  was  like  a  triumphal  march. 
He  had  scarcely  left  his  porter's  lodge  when  he  was  met  by 
a  company  of  gentlemen  from  Alexandria,  who  escorted  him 


12  CENTENNIAL  SOUVENIR. 


to  that  town.  Everywhere  the  people  gathered  to  see  him 
as  he  passed  along  the  road.  Public  addresses  were  given  in 
his  honor,  and  militia  companies  escorted  him  from  place  to 
place.  Over  Trenton  bridge  an  arch  was  thrown,  which  was 
adorned  with  laurel  leaves  and  flowers,  and  over  the  arch 
were  the  words  '  December  26,  1776,'  and,  formed  also  in 
flowers,  this  sentence,  '  The  Defender  of  the  Mothers  will 
be  the  Protector  of  the  Daughters.'  Beneath  that  arch  the 
President  was  met  by  a  troop  of  girls  carrying  baskets  of 
flowers,  which  they  scattered  along  the  pathway,  singing  the 
following  ode,  written  for  the  occasion,  beginning : 

'  Welcome,  mighty  chief,  once  more, 
Welcome  to  this  grateful  shore. 
Now,  no  mercenary  foe, 
Aims  again  the  fatal  blow — 
Aims  at  thee  the  fatal  blow,'  etc. 

"  Prominent  citizens  hastened  to  contribute  thirty-two 
thousand  dollars  for  the  enlargement  and  adornment  of  old 
City  Hall,  preparatory  to  the  novel  event  which  was  about 
to  thrill  the  whole  civilized  world.  The  most  intense  anxiety 
was  manifested  by  all  classes  concerning  the  settlement  of 
the  question  as  to  the  future  seat  of  the  national  govern 
ment.  But  it  was  hoped  that  liberality  on  the  part  of  New 
York  would  determine  the  issue  in  her  favor. 

"  A  national  salute  ushered  in  the  morning  of  the  3Oth 
of  April,  1789;  the  day  for  the  final  step  in  the  creation  of  a 
national  government.  At  9  o'clock  the  bells  pealed  from 
every  steeple  in  the  city  summoning  the  people  to  the 


THE  IN  A  UG  URA  TION.  1 3 

—»•— -^— —  -N« W— •^~~— • •— - • — — - • —  -—  -.— — '— • - 

churches  '  to  implore  the  blessing  of  Heaven  on  the  nation 
and  its  chosen  President,  so  universal  was  a  religious  sense 
of  the  importance  of  the  occasion.' ' 

Washington  attended  divine  service  at  St.  Paul's  Church, 
after  his  inauguration.  f 

The  eventful  scene  of  the  surrender  of  Yorktown  is  thus 
briefly  portrayed  by  Trumbull  in  his  "  Columbiad  "  : 

"  Cornwallis  first,  their  late  all-conquering  lord, 
Bears  to  the  victor  chief  his  conquered  sword, 
Presents  the  burnished  hilt,  and  yields  with  pain 
The  gift  of  kings,  now  brandished  here  in  vain, 


Long  trains  of  wheeled  artillery  shade  the  shore, 
Quench  their  blue  matches  and  forget  to  roar ; 
Along  the  encumbered  plain,  thick  planted  rise 
High  stacks  of  muskets  glittering  to  the  skies, 

Triumphant  Washington  with  brow  serene, 
Regards  unmoved  the  exhilarating  scene, 
Weighs  in  his  balanced  thought  the  silent  grief 
That  sinks  the  bosom  of  the  fallen  chief ; 
With  all  the  joy  that  laurel  crowns  bestow 
A  world  reconquered  and  a  vanquished  foe. 
Thus  through  extremes  of  life,  in  every  state, 
Shines  the  clear  soul,  beyond  all  fortune  great !  " 

Washington's  farewell  interview  with  his  officers  took 
place  at  Fraunce's  Tavern,  corner  of  Pearl  and  Broad  Streets, 
still  extant,  but  altered.  When  the  officers  had  assembled, 
Washington  entered  the  room  and  delivered  his  memorable 
address,  which  concluded  in  the  following  words,  "  I  cannot 


*  Mrs.  Lamb's  Hist,  of  N.  Y. 


Illumination. 

/COLONEL  TILCHMAN,  Aid 
V>  de  Camp  to  his  Excellency 
General  WASHINGTON,  having 
brought  official  acounts  of  the 
SURRENDER  of  Lord  Corn- 
wallis,  and  the  Garrifons  of 
York  and  Gloucefter,thofe  Citi- 
zens  who  chafe  to  ILLUMI 
NATE  on  the  GLORIOUS  OC 
CASION,  will  do  it  this  evening 
at  Six,  and  extinguifh  their 
lights  at  Nine  o'clock. 

Decorum  and  harmony  are 
earneftly  recommended  to  eve 
ry  Citizen,  and  a  general  dif- 
countenance  to  the  lead  ap 
pearance  of  riot. 

OElober  14,  1781. 

FAC-SIMILF.  OF  A  PROCLAMA  T1ON. 


THE  IN  A  UG  URA  TION.  1 5 

come  to  each  of  you  to  take  leave,  but  shall  be  obliged  to 
you  if  you  will  come  and  take  me  by  the  hand."  Knox, 
who  had  served  with  him  from  the  commencement  of  hos 
tilities,  was  the  first  to  receive  the  parting  grasp  from  the 
hero's  hand  ;  they  each  in  turn  were  greeted  with  the  same 
testimonial  from  their  esteemed  leader.  Leaving  the  room, 
he  passed  through  a  line  of  his  brave  soldiers  to  Whitehall, 
where  he  entered  the  barge  which  had  been  prepared  for  his 
reception. 

When  Washington  returned  to  New  York,  it  was  as  Presi 
dent  of  the  United  States.  His  progress  then  through  the 
city  and  country  was  one  continued  triumphal  procession. 

As  Washington  was  making  his  triumphal  entry  up  Broad 
way,  Washington  Irving  was  lifted  above  the  crowd  by  his 
parents  to  the  General,  with  the  request  that  he  would  con 
fer  his  name  upon  him  ;  a  proposal  which  was  readily  ac 
ceded  to.  This  circumstance  sheds  a  new  lustre  upon  a  name 
already  embalmed  with  the  most  cherished  associations. 

In  those  primitive  days  of  the  Republic  the  rules  of 
State  etiquette  were  very  simple.  The  President  received 
calls  on  Tuesdays  and  Fridays;  Thursdays  were  set  apart  for 
Congressional  dinners;  on  Saturdays  the  President  might 
sometimes  be  seen  riding  through  the  outskirts  of  the  City, 
mounted  on  a  fine  Virginia  horse,  or  seated  in  his  box  at 
the  theatre.  The  only  one  then  in  the  city  was  on  John 
Street.  On  such  occasions  the  "  President's  March  "  was 
played.  It  had  been  composed  by  Pfyles,  the  leader  of 
the  orchestra,  and  played  for  the  first  time  on  Trenton 


1 6  CENTENNIAL  SOUVENIR. 


Bridge  as  Washington  rode  over  on  his  way  to  be  inaugu 
rated.  The  air  had  a  martial  ring  that  caught  the  ear  of 
the  multitude,  soon  became  popular  as  "Washington's 
March,"  and  when  Adams  became  President,  in  a  moment 
of  great  party  excitement,  Judge  Hopkinson  wrote  and 
adapted  to  it  the  famous  lines  beginning  "Hail  Columbia!" 
which  still  continues  one  of  our  national  airs. 

A  contemporary  describing  a  journey  from  Philadelphia 
to  New  York,  gives  us  a  glimpse  of  the  slow  methods  of 
locomotion  in  those  days  of  our  forefathers.  He  says  the 
journey  was  made  in  a  kind  of  open  wagon,  hung  with  double 
curtains  of  leather  and  woollen  cloth,  stages  were  constructed 
usually  without  springs  ;  and  the  mails  even,  were  sometimes 
subject  to  great  delays,  and  only  transmitted  between  the 
leading  cities  about  twice  a  week. 

General  Washington's  mansion  was  situated  at  the 
northern  angle  of  Franklin  Square,  Pearl  Street;  but  it  has 
been  removed  to  make  room  for  the  Brooklyn  Bridge  ap 
proaches.  Here,  the  General  was  accustomed  to  hold  his 
State  levees.  Washington's  career  has  been  so  thoroughly 
scrutinized,  and  his  phases  of  character  portrayed  with  so 
much  analytical  skill,  that  it  would  be  supererogatory  here, 
to  refer  to  the  subject ;  yet,  as  illustrative  of  his  punctuality, 
we  may  be  pardoned  instancing  the  following  little  incident. 
Washington  avowed  himself  the  soldiers'  friend,  after  the  war 
had  terminated,  and  he  well  deserved  the  epithet.  The  General 
was  one  day  met  by  Lieut.  Laycraft,  a  brave  officer  of  the 
Continental  army,  who  solicited  a  letter  of  recommendation 


THE  IN  A  UGURA  TION. 


for  an  appointment  to  the  command  of  a  vessel  about  going 
on  a  cruise.  Washington  replied  he  would  comply  with  his 
request  at  any  time  he  desired.  Laycraft  proposed  to  wait 
upon  him  at  his  house  by  the  light  of  the  morning  star. 
"  Agreed,"  said  the  General,  and  at  the  appointed  time  the 
applicant  made  his  appearance,  was  admitted,  and  ushered 
into  the  presence  of  Washington,  whom  he  found  seated 


WASHINGTON  HOUSE,  PEARL  STREET,  NEW  YORK. 

with  two  wax  candles,  in  his  little  office,  with  the  letter  just 
written,  and  which  he  promptly  handed  to  the  lieutenant. 
This  illustrates  punctuality  of  the  exactest  kind,  for  which, 
perhaps,  few  parallels  are  to  be  found. 

This  somewhat  desultory  *  and  fragmentary  chapter  is 
designed  simply  to  afford  a  glimpse  of  the  status  of  New 
York  a  century  ago,  with  its  ten  thousand  inhabitants,  and 
its  contracted  area,  scarcely  extending  farther  than  from 


TRIBUTES  OF  GENIUS  AND  AFFECTION  TO  THE 
MEMORY  OF  WASHINGTON. 

r  I  ^HE  illustrious  character  and  achievements  of  General 
X  Washington,  are  now  the  absorbing  theme  of  the 
American  people,  and  the  topic  of  the  time — being  com 
memorative  of  the  Centennial  Anniversary  of  his  inaugura 
tion  as  first  President  of  the  United  States.  When,  on  that 
occasion,  he  was  greeted  with  the  grateful  affection  of  a 
new  born  and  a  loyal  nation,  his  steps  moved  to  the  echo  of 
martial  and  merry  music,  and  his  pathway  was  strewed  with 
flowers  ;  it  is  fitting,  therefore,  that  we  celebrate  our  national 
memorial  of  that  august  event,  by  placing  upon  the  altar  of 
his  fame,  the  votive  offerings  of  our  undying  regard,  and  also, 
reproduce  some  of  those  high  tributes  of  genius,  love  and 
patriotism,  which  have  been  so  lavishly  bestowed  by  the 
world  at  large. 

The  first  recorded  tribute  should  undoubtedly  be  the 
brief  but  excellent  eulogium  of  that  noble  Frenchman,  who 
so  ably  aided  in  the  great  struggle  for  national  liberty — Gen. 
Lafayette.  His  words  were  as  follows: — "In  my  idea  Gen 
eral  Washington  is  the  greatest  man,  for  I  look  upon  him  as 
the  most  virtuous."  Chateaubriand,  on  one  occasion,  after 
he  had  met  General  Washington,  exclaimed,  "  There  is  virtue 
in  the  look  of  a  great  man, — I  feel  myself  warmed  and  re 
freshed  by  it  for  the  rest  of  my  life."  If  we  turn  to  those 


22  CENTENNIAL  SOUVENIR. 


voices  which  were  lifted  in  his  praise,  across  the  sea,  we  find 
Southey  vocal  with  this  phrase,  "  Washington  hath  left  his 
awful  memory  a  light  for  all  after  times  !  "  And  no  less  a 
name  than  that  of  Charles  James  Fox,  is  to  be  credited  with 
these  words:  "  Illustrious  man  !  deriving  honor  less  from  the 
splendor  of  his  situation,  than  from  the  dignity  of  his  mind." 
Brougham — the  "  schoolmaster  abroad,"  spoke  prophetically 
when  he  said,  "The  test  of  the  progress  of  mankind  will  be 
in  the  appreciation  of  the  character  of  Washington."  Edward 
Everett  gives  us  a  side  glimpse  of  his  superiority  to  mere 
factitious  display  when  he  tells  us  that  "  Washington  declined 
a  military  escort  on  the  occasion  of  his  inauguration.  '  I 
require/  said  he,  '  no  guard,  but  the  affections  of  the  peo 
ple.'  "  It  was  eminently  fitting,  therefore,  that  this  eulogy 
should  have  come  from  the  loyal  lips  of  Henry  Lee, — "  First 
in  war,  first  in  peace  and  first  in  the  hearts  of  his  country 
men  !  "  The  clue  to  this  may  be  found  in  the  words  of 
Washington  Irving,  who  wrote,  "  Washington,  in  fact,  had 
very  little  private  life,  he  was  eminently  a  public  character." 
And  this  is  further  sustained  in  a  comment  of  Jared  Sparks, 
given  in  these  words:  "Whoever  would  understand  the 
character  of  Washington,  in  all  its  compass  and  grandeur, 
must  learn  it  from  his  own  writings,  and  from  a  complete 
history  of  his  country  during  the  long  period  in  which  he 
was  the  most  prominent  actor." 

In  Walpole's  "Letters,"  at  the  date  of  1782,  we  read 
Washington  was  remarkably  silent  and  serious,  and  when  he 
banqueted  his  prisoner,  Lord  Cornwallis,  spoke  little,  never 


TRIBUTES  TO   WASHINGTON.  23 

smiled,  but  happening  to  ask  if  it  was  true  that  Lord  Dun- 
more  was  returning  to  resume  the  government  of  Virginia, 
on  being  answered  in  the  affirmative,  burst  into  a  merry  fit 
of  laughter.  This  was  the  philosopher  laughing  at  the  ass 
that  had  left  mumbling  thistles  for  clover  beyond  his  reach. 

Guizot  closes  his  eloquent  and  enthusiastic  volume  on 
"  The  Character  and  Influence  of  Washington,"  with  these 
earnest  words :  "  Government  will  be,  always  and  everywhere, 
the  greatest  exercise  of  the  faculties  of  man,  and  consequently 
that  which  requires  minds  of  the  highest  order.  It  is  for  the 
honor,  as  well  as  for  the  interest  of  society,  that  such  minds 
should  be  drawn  into  the  administration  of  its  affairs,  and 
retained  there ;  for  no  institutions,  no  securities,  can  supply 
their  place.  And,  on  the  other  hand,  in  men  who  are  worthy 
of  this  destiny,  all  weariness,  all  sadness  of  spirit,  however  it 
might  be  permitted  in  others,  is  a  weakness.  Their  voca 
tion  is  labor;  their  reward  is,  indeed,  the  success  of  their 
efforts,  but  still  only  in  labor.  Very  often  they  die,  bent 
under  the  burden,  before  the  day  of  recompense  arrives. 
Washington  lived  to  receive  it ;  he  deserved  and  enjoyed 
both  success  and  repose.  Of  all  great  men,  he  was  the  most 
virtuous,  and  the  most  fortunate.  In  this  world  God  has  no 
higher  favors  to  bestow." 

The  halo  of  distance  lends  a  charm  and  fascination  to 
great  names  that  have  become  historic ;  to  have  stood  this 
test  of  time,  is  a  guarantee  of  their  true  greatness.  Thus 
will  it  ever  continue  to  be  with  the  immortal  name  of  Wash 
ington,  gaining  added  lustre  with  the  advancing  centuries. 


24  CENTENNIAL  SOUVENIR. 

His  private  life,  it  has  often  been  said,  was  as  free  from 
stain  as  his  public  life  was  surpassingly  admirable.  To  cite 
the  words  of  one  who  knew  whereof  he  affirmed,  it  may  be 
added  that  "  every  event  of  his  life,  whether  little  or  great, 
affords  evidence  of  his  exalted  purity,  his  ennobling  sense  of 
right,  his  disinterested  self-sacrifice." 

When  the  Marquis  of  Chastellux  took  leave  of  Washing 
ton  at  Newburgh,  "  It  is  not  difficult,"  wrote  the  French 
officer,  "  to  imagine  the  pain  that  separation  gave  me ;  but  I 
have,  too,  much  pleasure  in  recollecting  the  real  tenderness 
with  which  it  affected  him,  not  to  take  a  pride  in  mention 
ing  it.  ...  I  wish  to  express  the  impression  General 
Washington  has  left  on  my  mind  ;  the  idea  of  a  perfect 
whole,  which  cannot  be  the  product  of  enthusiasm,  but 
would  rather  reject  it  since  the  effect  of  proportion  is  to 
diminish  the  idea  of  greatness.  Brave  without  temerity, 
laborious  without  ambition,  generous  without  prodigality, 
noble  without  pride,  virtuous  without  severity,  he  seems 
always  to  have  confined  himself  within  those  limits  where 
the  virtues,  by  clothing  themselves  in  more  lively,  but  less 
changeable  and  doubtful  colors,  may  be  mistaken  for  faults. 
It  will  be  said  of  him,  at  the  end  of  a  long  Civil  War,  he  had 
nothing  with  which  he  could  reproach  himself.  If  anything 
can  be  more  marvellous  than  such  a  character  it  is  the  unan 
imity  of  the  public  suffrages  in  his  favor." 

It  has  been  well  said  that,  "As  a  warrior,  he  was  inspired 
with  the  spirit  of  American  Independence;  as  a  civilian,  he 
believed  in  the  popular  genius  of  the  Puritan  Commonwealth. 


TRIBUTES  TO   WASHINGTON.  25 

He  drew  his  sword  for  popular  freedom ;  and  when  he 
sheathed  it,  the  people,  and  not  he  himself,  were  elevated 
into  power.  As  commander  of  the  American  army  he  never 
forgot  his  relation  to  the  private  soldier ;  as  President  of  the 
American  Republic,  he  never  forgot  that  he  was  also  an 
American  citizen.  Superior  to  '  low  ambition  and  the  pride 
of  kings/  he  eclipsed  the  splendors  of  the  most  ambitious 
and  founded  the  only  empire  which  foreign  foe  has  never 
vanquished,  and  which  civil  strife  has  merely  purified  and 
strengthened. "*  The  glory  of  Napoleon  grows  paler  and 
paler,  while  Washington's  grows  constantly  more  lustrous. 

Count  Herzburg  wrote  to  him  from  Berlin  these  words: 
"  I  have  always  admired  your  great  virtues  and  qualities, 
your  disinterested  patriotism,  your  unshaken  courage  and 
simplicity  of  manners — qualifications  by  which  you  surpass 
men,  even  the  most  celebrated  of  antiquity." 

And  one  of  England's  greatest  poets  wrote  : 

"  Where  may  the  wearied  eye  repose 

When  gazing  on  the  great, 
Where  neither  guilty  glory  glows, 

Nor  despicable  state  ? 
Yes,  one— the  first,  the  last,  the  best, 
The  Cincinnatus  of  the  West — 

Whom  envy  dared  not  hate — 
Bequeathed  the  name  of  Washington 
To  make  men  blush  there  was  but  one  !  " 

"  The  memory  of  Washington  is  the  highest  and  most 
precious  of  national  blessings,  and  as  such,  cannot  be  ap- 

*  G.  B.  Loring. 


26  CENTENNIAL  SOUVENIR. 

preached  by  artist  or  author  without  reverence.  Death  has 
canonized  his  memory.  .  .  .  There  was  nothing  in  him 
to  dazzle,  as  in  Napoleon,  nothing  to  allure,  as  in  Louis 
XIV.,  when  they  sought  to  inspire  their  armies  with  enthu 
siasm.  The  power  of  Washington  as  a  guide,  a  chieftain 
and  a  representative  of  his  country,  was  based  on  a  less 
dramatic  and  more  permanent  law;  he  gained  the  influence 
so  essential  to  success — the  ability  to  control  others — by 
virtue  of  a  sublime  self-government.  It  was  in  the  last 
analysis,  because  personal  interest,  selfish  ambition,  safety, 
comfort — all  that  human  instincts  endear — were  cheerfully 
sacrificed,  because  passions  naturally  strong  were  kept  in 
abeyance  by  an  energetic  will,  because  disinterestedness  was 
demonstrated  as  a  normal  fact  of  character,  that  gradually, 
but  surely,  and  by  a  law  as  inevitable  as  that  which  holds  a 
planet  to  its  orbit,  public  faith  was  irrevocably  attached  to 
him."  These  analytical  words  are  from  the  pen  of  the  late 
Henry  T.  Tuckerman. 

"  In  clearness  and  soundness  of  judgment,"  wrote  Lecky 
the  historian,  u  in  civil,  as  in  military  life,  Washington  was 
pre-eminent  among  his  contemporaries;  for  his  perfect  mod 
eration  and  self-control,  for  the  quiet  dignity  and  the  indom 
itable  firmness  with  which  he  pursued  every  path  which  he 
had  deliberately  chosen.  He  was  in  the  highest  sense  of 
the  word  a  gentleman  and  a  man  of  honor,  and  he  carried 
into  public  life  the  severest  standard  of  private  morals." 

Thus  by  the  concurrent  testimony  of  representative 
minds,  may  be  seen  the  high  estimate  in  which  his  character 


TRIBUTES  TO   WASHINGTON.  27 

has  ever  been  held,  as  to  its  various  phases  of  general, 
statesman,  and  civilian.  A  closer  analysis  discovers  to  us 
the  elements  of  his  character,  so  nicely  balanced  and  in 
such  harmonious  proportions,  that  its  completeness  may 
fairly  challenge  a  compeer  among  men. 

"  His  life  was  gentle  ;  and  the  elements 
So  mixed  in  him  that  Nature  might  stand  up, 
And  say  to  all  the  world— this  z's  a  man!" 

Not  only  was  Washington  a  man  of  strict  integrity, 
and  exemplary  in  private  life,  he  was  conspicuously  self- 
denying  and  heroic  in  his  public  career,  added  to  which  his 
was  a  religious  life.  Like  the  heroes  of  Bible  story,  and  the 
great  Gustavus  Adolphus,  Washington,  amid  the  thick  of 
the  tumult  and  asperities  of  war,  bowed  himself,  with  his 
battalions  on  the  tented  field,  and  commended  his  cause  to 
the  God  of  battles,  before  encountering  the  forces  of  his  foe. 
He  was  yet  the  quiet,  unostentatious  Christian,  his  sterling 
integrity  of  character,  and  his  uniform  deportment,  proclaim 
ing  the  fact  more  eloquently  than  in  articulate  words. 

Lord  Byron,  who  espoused  the  cause  of  liberty  in  the 
East,  has  given  us  a  canto  for  our  great  leader:— 

"  Can  tyrants  but  by  tyrants  conquered  be 

And  Freedom  find  no  champion,  and  no  child, — 
Such  as  Columbia  saw  arise  when  she 

Sprung-  forth  a  Pallas,  armed  and  undefiled? 
Or  must  such  minds  be  nourished  in  the  wild, 

Deep  in  the  unpruned  forest,  '  midst  the  roar 
Of  cataracts,  where  nursing  nature  smiled 

On  infant  Washington  ?     Has  earth  no  more 
Such  seeds  within  her  breast,  or  Europe  no  such  shore?  " 


28  CENTENNIAL  SOUVENIR. 


Napoleon's  words  were,  "  This  great  man  fought  against 
tyranny  ;  he  established  the  liberty  of  his  country.  His 
memory  will  always  be  dear  to  the  French  people,  as  it  will 
be  to  all  freemen  of  the  two  worlds." 

Said  Channing :  "  Washington  served  us  chiefly  by  his 
sublime  moral  qualities.  To  him  belonged  the  proud  dis 
tinction  of  being  the  leader  in  a  revolution  without  awakening 
one  doubt  or  solicitude,  as  to  the  spotless  purity  of  his  pur 
pose.  His  was  the  glory  of  being  the  brightest  manifestation 
of  the  spirit  which  reigned  in  this  country  ;  and  in  this  way 
he  became  a  source  of  energy,  a  bond  of  union,  the  centre  of 
an  enlightened  people's  confidence.  By  an  instinct  which  is 
unerring  we  call  Washington,  with  grateful  reverence,  the 
Father  of  his  Country!" 

Von  Raumer's  words  are,  "  The  admiration  writh  which 
Washington  is  regarded  by  all  civilized  nations  shows  him 
to  be  one  of  the  few  among  mankind,  to  whom  is  given  an 
immortality  more  durable  than  brass  or  marble,  and  whose 
spotless  and  beneficent  memory  is  cherished  by  the  latest 
posterity." 

In  Prof.  Goldwin  Smith's  "  Oxford  Lectures,"  we  read 
the  following  words :  "  The  character  of  Washington  is  one 
of  the  glories  of  our  race  ;  to  teach  all  ages  the  greatness  of 
moderation  and  civil  duty.  It  has  been  truly  said  that  there 
is  one  spectacle  more  grateful  to  Heaven  than  a  good  man  in 
adversity, — a  good  man  successful  in  a  great  cause.  Deeper 
happiness  cannot  be  conceived  than  that  of  the  years  which 
Washington  passed  at  Mount  Vernon,  looking  back  upon  a 


TRIBUTES  TO  WASHINGTON.  29 


life  of  arduous  command,  held  without  a  selfish  thought  and 
laid  down  without  a  stain."  The  last  citation  to  be  added 
to  this  brilliant  scroll  of  great  names  is  that  of  Thomas 
Jefferson.  His  words  are  :  "  I  think  I  knew  General  Wash 
ington  intimately  and  thoroughly ;  and  were  I  called  on  to 
delineate  his  character,  it  should  be  in  terms  like  these. 
His  mind  was  great  and  powerful,  without  being  of  the  very 
first  order ;  his  penetration  strong,  though  not  so  acute  as 
that  of  a  Newton,  Bacon,  or  Locke ;  and,  as  far  as  he  saw,  no 
judgment  was  ever  sounder.  .  .  .  He  was  indeed,  in 
every  sense  of  the  words,  a  wise,  a  good  and  a  great  man." 
Physically,  also,  he  was  a  noble  personage,  six  feet  two  inches 
in  height,  and  well  proportioned,  never  too  stout  for  prompt 
and  easy  movement.  His  hair  was  brown,  his  eyes  blue  and 
far  apart,  his  hands  large,  his  arms  uncommonly  strong,  the 
muscular  development  of  his  frame  perfect.  He  was  a  bold 
and  graceful  horseman ;  was  scrupulously  attentive  to  the 
proprieties  of  dress,  was  gracious  and  gentle  to  all.  He  was 
childless;  but  most  happy  in  his  domestic  relations. 

Here  should  be  linked  as  a  pendant  to  this  galaxy  of 
great  names,  the  following  beautiful  lyric  of  Eliza  Cook,  the 
English  poetess,  whose  poetical  writings  are  comparatively 
now  little  known.  These  heroic  stanzas  were  written  nearly 
half  a  century  ago. 

WASHINGTON. 

Land  of  the  West !  though  passing  brief  the  record  of  thine  age, 
Thou  hast  a  name  that  darkens  all  on  History's  wide  page ! 
Let  all  the  blasts  of  fame  ring  out — thine  shall  be  loudest  far ; 
Let  others  boast  their  satillites — thou  hast  the  planet  star. 


30  CENTENNIAL  SOUVENIR. 


Thou  hast  a  name  whose  characters  of  light  shall  ne'er  depart; 
'Tis  stamped  upon  the  dullest  brain,  and  warms  the  coldest  heart  ; 
A  war-cry  fit  for  any  land  where  Freedom's  to  be  won  : 
Land  of  the  West !  it  stands  alone— it  is  thy  Washington  ! 

Rome  had  its  Csesar,  great  and  brave ;  but  stain  was  on  his  wreath  : 
He  lived  the  heartless  conqueror,  and  died  the  tyrant's  death. 
France  had  its  eagle ;  but  his  wings,  though  lofty  they  might  soar, 
Were  spread  in  false  ambition's  flight,  and  dipped  in  murder's  gore. 
Those  hero-gods,  whose  mighty  sway  would  fain  have  chained  the  waves, 
Who  fleshed  their  blades  with  tiger  zeal,  to  make  a  world  of  slaves  — 
Who,  though  their  kindred  barred  the  path,  still  fiercely  waded  on — 
Oh,  where  shall  be  their  "  glory  "  by  the  side  of  Washington  ! 

He  fought,  but  not  with  love  of  strife ;  he  struck  but  to  defend  ; 

And  ere  he  turned  a  people's  foe,  he  sought  to  be  a  friend  : 

He  strove  to  keep  his  country's  right  by  Reason's  gentle  word, 

And  sighed  when  fell  Injustice  threw  the  challenge— sword  to  sword  : 

He  stood  the  firm,  the  calm,  the  wise,  the  patriot  and  sage  ; 

He  showed  no  deep  avenging  hate — no  burst  of  despot  rage. 

He  stood  for  Liberty  and  Truth,  and  daringly  led  on, 

Till  shouts  of  Victory  gave  forth  the  name  of  Washington. 

No  car  of  triumph  bore  him  through  a  city  filled  with  grief ; 
No  groaning  captives  at  the  wheels  proclaimed  him  victor-chief : 
He  broke  the  gyves  of  slavery  with  strong  and  high  disdain  ; 
But  cast  no  sceptre  from  the  links  when  he  had  crushed  the  chain. 
He  saved  his  land,  but  did  not  lay  his  soldier  trappings  down, 
To  change  them  for  a  regal  vest,  and  don  a  kingly  crown. 
Fame  was  too  earnest  in  her  joy— too  proud  of  such  a  son  — 
To  let  a  robe  and  title  mask  her  noble  Washington. 

England,  my  heart  is  truly  thine — my  loved,  my  native  earth  — 
The  land  that  holds  a  mothers  grave,  and  gave  that  mother  birth  ! 
Oh,  keenly  sad  would  be  the  fate  that  thrust  me  from  thy  shore, 
And  faltering  my  breath  that  sighed  "  Farewell  for  evermore !  " 
But  did  I  meet  such  adverse  lot,  I  would  not  seek  to  dwell 
Where  olden  heroes  wrought  the  deeds  for  Homer's  song  to  tell. 
Away,  thou  gallant  ship  !  I'd  cry,  and  bear  me  swiftly  on  ; 
But  bear  me  from  my  own  fair  land  to  that  of  Washington. 


I 


MEMORABILIA. 

N  Westmoreland  county,  Virginia,  near  the  banks  of  the 
Potomac,  may  be  seen  a  stone  with  this  inscription  :— 

"  HERE, 

THE    IITH    OF    FEBRUARY  (O.S.),    1732, 

GEORGE   WASHINGTON 

WAS    BORN." 

The  calendar  having  been  changed,  we  celebrate  his 
birthday  on  the  twenty-second  of  February. 

George  Washington  was  descended  from  an  old  and 
titled  family  in  Lancashire,  England,  and  was  the  eldest 
child  of  his  father,  by  Mary  Ball,  his  second  wife.  He  died 
when  George  was  little  more  than  ten  years  of  age,  and  the 
guidance  of  the  future  leader,  through  the  dangers  of  youth- 
hood,  devolved  upon  his  mother.  She  was  fitted  for  the 
service  ;  and  during  his  eventful  life,  Washington  regarded 
the  early  training  of  his  mother  with  the  deepest  gratitude. 
He  was  always  beloved  by  his  young  companions,  and  was 
always  chosen  their  leader  in  military  plays. 

At  the  age  of  fourteen  years,  he  wished  to  enter  the 
navy,  but  yielded  to  the  discouraging  persuasions  of  his 
mother ;  and  when  he  was  seventeen  years  old,  he  was  one 
of  the  most  accomplished  land  surveyors  in  Virginia.  In 
the  forest  rambles  incident  to  his  profession,  he  learned 


32  CENTENNIAL  SOUVENIR. 

much  of  the  topography  of  the  country,  habits  of  the 
Indians,  and  life  in  the  camp.  These  were  stern  but  use 
ful  lessons  of  great  value  in  his  future  life. 

Young  Washington  was  appointed  one  of  the  adjutants- 
general  of  his  state  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  but  soon  resigned 
his  commission  to  accompany  an  invalid  half-brother  to  the 
West  Indies.  Two  years  later,  when  the  French  began  to 
build  forts  southward  of  Lake  Erie,  he  was  sent,  by  the 
royal  governor  of  Virginia,  to  demand  a  cessation  of  such 
hostile  movements.  He  performed  the  delicate  mission 
with  great  credit ;  and  so  highly  were  his  services  esteemed, 
that  when,  in  1755,  Braddock  came  to  drive  the  French  from 
the  vicinity  of  the  Ohio,  Washington  was  chosen  his  principal 
aid.  The  young  leader  had  already  been  in  that  wilderness 
at  the  head  of  a  military  expedition,  and  performed  his  duty 
so  well,  that  he  was  publicly  thanked  by  the  Virginia  legis 
lature.  Braddock  was  defeated  and  killed,  and  his  whole 
army  escaped  utter  destruction  only  through  the  skill  and 
valor  of  Colonel  Washington,  in  directing  their  retreat.  He 
continued  in  active  military  service  most  of  the  time,  until 
the  close  of  1758,  when  he  resigned  his  commission,  and 
retired  to  private  life. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-seven  years,  Washington  married 
the  beautiful  Martha  Custis,  the  young  widow  of  a  wealthy 
Virginia  planter,  and  they  took  up  their  abode  at  Mount 
Vernon,  on  the  banks  of  the  Potomac,  an  estate  left  him  by 
his  half-brother.  There  he  quietly  pursued  the  business  of 
a  farmer  until  the  Spring  of  1774,  when  he  was  chosen  to  fill 


MEMORABILIA.  33 


a  seat  in  the  Virginia  legislature.  The  storm  of  the  great 
revolution  was  then  gathering ;  and  towards  the  close  of 
Summer  he  was  elected  a  delegate  to  the  first  Continental 
Congress,  which  assembled  at  Philadelphia,  in  September. 
He  was  a  delegate  the  following  year,  when  the  storm  burst 
on  Bunker  Hill,  after  the  first  lightning  flash  at  Lexington ; 
and  by  the  unanimous  voice  of  his  compatriots  he  was  chosen 
commander-in-chief  of  the  army  of  freemen  which  had  gath 
ered  spontaneously  around  Boston. 

For  eight  long  years  Washington  directed  the  feeble 
armies  of  the  revolted  colonies,  in  their  struggle  for  indepen 
dence.  That  was  a  terrible  ordeal  through  which  the  peo 
ple  of  America  passed !  During  the  night  of  gloom  which 
brooded  over  the  hopes  of  the  patriots,  from  the  British  in 
vasion  of  New  York  until  the  capture  of  Cornwallis,  he  was 
the  lode-star  of  their  hopes.  And  when  the  blessed  morning 
of  peace  dawned  at  Yorktown,  and  the  last  hoof  of  the  op 
pressor  had  left  our  shores,  Washington  was  hailed  as  the 
deliverer  of  his  people  ;  and  he  was  regarded  by  the  aspirants 
for  freedom  in  the  eastern  hemisphere  as  the  brilliant  day- 
star  of  promise  to  future  generations. 

During  all  the  national  perplexities  after  the  return  of 
peace,  incident  to  financial  embarrassments  and  an  imperfect 
system  of  government,  Washington  was  regarded,  still,  as 
the  public  leader,  and  when  a  convention  assembled  to  modify 
the  existing  government,  he  was  chosen  to  preside  over  their 
deliberations.  And  again,  when  the  labors  of  that  convention 
resulted  in  the  formation  of  our  Federal  Constitution,  and  a 


34  CENTENNIAL  SOUVENIR. 

President  of  the  United  States  was  to  be  chosen,  according 
to  its  provisions,  his  countrymen,  with  unanimous  voice, 
called  him  to  the  highest  place  of  honor  in  the  gift  of  a  free 
people. 

Washington  presided  over  the  affairs  of  the  new  Repub 
lic  for  eight  years,  and  those  the  most  eventful  in  its  history. 
A  new  government  had  to  be  organized  without  any  existing 
model,  and  new  theories  of  government  were  to  be  put  in 
practice  for  the  first  time.  The  domestic  and  foreign  policy 
of  the  country  had  to  be  settled  by  legislation  and  diplomacy, 
and  many  exciting  questions  had  to  be  met  and  answered. 
To  guide  the  ship  of  state  through  the  rocks  and  quicksands 
of  all  these  difficulties  required  great  executive  skill  and 
wisdom.  Washington  possessed  both  ;  and  he  retired  from 
the  theatre  of  public  life  without  the  least  stain  of  reproach 
upon  his  judgment  or  his  intentions.  We  are  indebted  to  B. 
J.  Lossing's  "  Our  Countrymen"  for  the  preceding  extract. 

Washington's  great  life  was  nearing  its  close ;  his  work 
was  accomplished,  for  he  had,  it  has  been  well  said,  "built  up 
a  nation  destined,  if  it  but  follow  his  example,  to  be  the 
greatest  upon  earth.  Since  his  retirement  from  the  Presi 
dency,  his  health  had  been  remarkably  good  ;  and  although 
advancing  years  had  brought  their  infirmities,  yet  up  to  the 
very  close  of  life  he  was  able  to  endure  fatigue,  and  make 
exertions  of  body  and  mind,  with  scarcely  less  ease  and 
activity,  than  he  had  done  in  the  prime  of  his  strength."' 

*  Walter's  Memorials. 


MEMORABILIA.  35 


The  last  scene  in  one  of  the  noblest  of  lives  should  here 
be  sketched  by  his  latest,  if  not  his  best  biographer — Wash 
ington  Irving :  "  Winter  had  now  set  in,  with  occasional  wind 
and  rain  and  frost,  yet  Washington  still  kept  up  his  active 
round  of  in-door  and  out-door  avocations,  as  his  diary  records. 
He  was  in  full  health  and  vigor,  dined  out  occasionally,  and 
had  frequent  guests  at  Mount  Vernon  ;  and,  as  usual,  was 
part  of  every  day  in  the  saddle,  going  the  rounds  of  his 
estates,  and,  in  his  military  phraseology,  '  visiting  the  out 
posts.'  About  ten  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  1 2th  of 
December,  he  mounted  his  horse,  and  rode  out  as  usual: 
about  one  o'clock  it  began  to  snow,  soon  after  to  hail,  and 
then  turned  to  a  settled  cold  rain.  Having  on  an  overcoat, 
he  continued  his  ride  without  regarding  the  weather,  and 
did  not  return  to  the  house  until  after  three  o'clock. 
His  secretary  approached  him  with  letters  to  be  franked  ; 
he  franked  them,  but  Washington  remarked  that  the  weather 
was  too  bad  to  send  the  servant  out  with  them.  As  dinner 
had  been  waiting  for  the  General,  he  sat  down  to  table  with 
out  changing  his  dress ;  yet  in  the  evening  he  appeared  as 
well  as  usual.  On  the  following  morning,  however,  he  com 
plained  of  a  sore  throat,  and  had  evidently  taken  cold  the 
day  before.  In  the  afternoon  the  weather  cleared  up,  and 
he  went  out  on  the  grounds  between  the  house  and  the 
river,  to  mark  some  trees  which  were  to  be  cut  down.  His 
cold  grew  worse  towards  night,  but  he  made  light  of  it.  He 
was  very  cheerful  in  the  evening,  as  he  sat  in  the  parlor  with 
Mrs.  Washington  and  Mr.  Lear,  amusing  himself  with  the 


CENTENNIAL  SOUVENIR 


WASHINGTON'S  SWORD  AND  STICK. 


THE  WASHINGTON  SARCOPHAGUS. 


MEMORABILIA.  37 


papers  which  had  been  brought  from  the  post-office.     On 
retiring  for  the  night  it  was  suggested  that  he  should  take 
something   for   his    cold.     '  No/  he    replied,  '  you    know   I 
never  take  anything  for  a  cold  ;  let  it  go  as  it  came.'     In 
the  night  he  was  seized  with  ague  and  difficulty  of  breath 
ing  ;  in   the  early  morning  the  General  was  hardly  able  to 
utter  a  word   intelligibly,   and   the  family  physician  being 
summoned  the  patient  was  bled.     The  blood  ran  freely,  but 
Mrs.  Washington,  fearing  he  would  become  too  exhausted, 
begged  to  have  the  effusion   stopped ;    when    the  General 
murmured  against  its  being  stopped,  and  said  'More,  more.' 
His  old  friend,   Dr.  Craik,  had  called  to  his  aid  two  other 
professional  gentlemen,  when  various   remedies  were  tried, 
and  additional  bleeding,  but  all  of  no  avail.     After  consult 
ing  with  Mrs.  Washington,  about  his  last  will,  which  he  con 
signed  to  her  care,  he  said  to  his  friend,  Mr.  Lear,  '  I  find  I 
am  going,  my  breath  cannot  last  long ;  I  believed  from  the 
first  that  the  disorder  would   prove  fatal.     Do  you  arrange 
and   record  all  my  late  military  letters  and  papers ;  arrange 
my  accounts  and  settle  my  books,  as  you  know  more  about 
them  than  any  one  else.'     He   then  asked   if   I   recollected 
anything  which  it  was  essential  for  him  to  do,  as  he  had  but 
a  very  short  time  to  continue  with  us.     I   told  him  that  I 
could  recollect  nothing ;  but  that  I  hoped  he  was  not  so  near 
his  end.    As  Mr.  Lear  endeavored  to  make  his  position  in  bed 
more  easy,  the  general  said,  '  I  am  afraid  I  fatigue  you  too 
much ; '  when  upon  being  assured  to  the  contrary,  he  grate 
fully  continued,  '  Well,  it  is  a  debt  we  must  pay  to  each  other, 


38  CENTENNIAL  SOUVENIR. 

and  I  hope  when  you  want  aid  of  this  kind  you  will  find  it.' 
About  5  o'clock  his  old  friend  Dr.  Craik  came  again  into  the 
room,  and  as  he  approached  his  patient,  Washington  said, 
'  Doctor,  I  die  hard,  but  I  am  not  afraid  to  go.  I  believed, 
from  my  first  attack,  that  I  should  not  survive  it, — my 
breath  cannot  last  long.'  Further  remedies  were  tried  with 
out  avail,  in  the  evening:  he  took  whatever  was  offered 
him,  did  as  he  was  desired  by  the  physicians,  and  never 
uttered  sigh  or  complaint.  At  10  o'clock,  after  making  sev 
eral  attempts  to  speak,  he  said,  '  I  am  just  going.  Have  me 
decently  buried,  and  do  not  let  my  body  be  put  into  the 
vault  in  less  than  three  days  after  I  am  dead.'  Ten  minutes 
before  he  expired  his  breathing  became  easier;  he  lay 
quietly,  when  his  countenance  changed,  and  he  expired 
without  a  struggle  or  a  sigh,  on  December  14,  1799." 

By  another  authority  we  read  that  "  Mrs.  Washington 
was  at  the  bedside,  where  she  had  often  been  seen  kneeling, 
with  her  head  resting  upon  the  Bible.  Mr.  Lear  and  Dr. 
Craik  were  leaning  over  the  bed  ;  and  four  of  the  domestics 
were  in  the  room.  Washington  raised  himself  up,  and  cast 
ing  a  look  of  benignity  on  all  around,  as  if  to  thank  them  for 
their  kindly  attention,  he  composed  his  limbs,  closed  his 
eyes,  and  folding  his  arms  upon  his  bosom  expired,  saying 
these  words, — '  Father  of  mercies,  take  me  to  Thyself ! ' ' 

"  The  chamber  where  the  good  man  meets  his  fate 
Is  privileged  beyond  the  common  walk 
Of  virtuous  life,  quite  in  the  verge  of  heaven  !  " 


MEMORABILIA.  39 

,^^^^«^-«^-^^-^—^^^^--S^-^~^~^-S^--N^ 

Mr.  Irving  thus  refers  to  the  public  honors  paid  to  his 
memory  by  foreign  States,  as  well  as  throughout  the  United 
States:  "When  the  news  reached  England,  Lord  Bridport, 
who  had  command  of  a  British  fleet  of  nearly  sixty  sail  of 
the  line,  lying  at  Torbay,  lowered  his  flag  half-mast,  every 
ship  following  the  example ;  and  Bonaparte,  first  Consul  of 
France,  on  announcing  his  death  to  the  army,  ordered  that 
black  crape  should  be  suspended  from  all  the  standards  and 
flags  throughout  the  public  service  for  ten  days." 

Congress  was  in  session  at  Philadelphia  at  the  time  of 
Washington's  death,  and  rendered  appropriate  honors  to  his 
memory.  A  public  funeral  was  decreed,  at  which  Major 
Henry  Lee  pronounced  an  oration;  and  the  National  Legis 
lature  resolved  that  a  marble  monument  should  be  erected 
to  his  memory,  by  the  United  States  at  the  National  Capitol 
(Washington),  so  designed  as  to  commemorate  the  great 
military  and  civil  events  of  his  life.  After  the  lapse  of  more 
than  three-quarters  of  a  century,  the  monument  has  been 
completed.  It  is  a  simple  grand  obelisk  rising  five  hundred 
and  fifty-five  feet  into  the  air;  tallest  of  all  towers,  and  most 
fitting,  as  it  is  commemorative  of  one  whose  moral  altitude 
so  transcended  that  of  his  fellows. 

It  does  not  fall  within  the  plan  of  this  little  memorial  to 
attempt  to  reproduce  the  wise  words  of  Washington, — they 
are  too  many  and  too  good  to  be  lightly  perused  ;  but  it  may 
not  be  amiss  to  cite  one  of  his  favorite  aphorisms.  "  There 
exists,"  said  he,  "  in  the  economy  of  nature  an  inseparable  con 
nection  between  duty  and  advantage."  Washington's  whole 
life  was  a  verification  of  the  statement. 


WASHINGTON  TOMB,  MOUNT  VERNOA 


ME  MORA  BILIA .  4 1 


Patriots  of  every  country  will  welcome  with  pride  and 
gratification  the  following  sonnet  from  the  pen  of  Francis 
Bennoch,  the  loved  and  gifted  friend  of  Mary  Russell  Mit- 
ford,  Nathaniel  Hawthorne  and  Henry  W.  Longfellow.* 

"  Before  thy  tomb,  great  Statesman,  I  have  bowed 
In  humble  reverence,  knowing  well  the  zeal 
With  which  thou  struggled  for  thy  people's  weal. 

Struggled  and  conquered  !     Never  tempest  cloud 

Could  stay  the  lightning  of  thy  heart,  nor  shroud 
That  quenchless  courage  which  made  despot  reel, 

And  men  clown-trodden,  of  thy  prowess  proud  ! 
And  now  I  gaze  with  rapture  on  thy  face 

So  calm  and  deep  in  thought,  transcending  earth  ! 
By  artist  limned, — where  dignity,  and  grace, 

And  force  combined  to  give  a  Nation  birth, 
With  power  to  speak  and  liberate  the  race  ! 

Of  'Freedom's  bravest  leaders,  there  are  none 

Whose  fame  o'ershadows  thine,  heroic  Washington  !  ' 


Walter's  Memorials  of  Washington. 


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14  DAY  USE 

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LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 


on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 

._•..-. 

t 

Rec-0  ^ 

General  Library 
LD  21A-50m-8,'57                                University  of  California 
(C8481slO)476B                                                 Berkeley 

